Q1Global battery storage, intelligent network, and energy efficiency companies raised US$250 million, a year-on-year increase of 20%

According to a new report released by clean energy research consultancy Mercom Capital, battery storage, smart grid, and energy efficiency companies raised $252 million in the first quarter of 2020, up 20%
from the $210 million raised in the first quarter of 2019.

Battery storage

Battery storage companies achieved financing (including venture capital, debt and public market financing) of $244 million in the first quarter involving nine transactions, compared to $635 million
in 10 transactions in the fourth quarter of 2019.
However, this represents an 88% increase compared to the same period last year, with nine transactions in the first quarter of 2019 valued at $130 million
.

Battery Storage Corporation raised $164 million in venture capital (VC) funds (including private equity and corporate venture capital) in the first quarter of 2020, compared to a cumulative $78 million
raised from seven transactions in the first quarter of 2019.
Sequentially higher than seven transactions raised $126 million in the fourth quarter of 2019
.

Fourteen investors raised battery storage during the quarter, with the largest VC funders receiving the following: Demand Power Group, which raised $71 million from Star America; Highview Power raised $46 million from Sumitomo Heavy Industries; Advano raised $19 million from Mitsui Kinzoku SBI Materials Innovation Fund, Future Shape, PeopleFund, Thiel Capital, DCVC, Y Combinator; ZincFive raised $13 million from 40 North Ventures, while TWAICE raised $12 million
from Creandum.

In the first quarter of 2020, disclosed battery storage technology debt and public market financing increased 54% year-over-year, compared to two transactions of $
52 million in the first quarter of 2019.

In the first quarter of 2020, a $140 million fund
for battery storage projects was also disclosed.
The battery storage company made four M&A transactions (undisclosed transaction amounts).

There were no M&A transactions
in the fourth quarter of 2019.
There were four M&A transactions in the first quarter of 2019, only one of which disclosed the transaction amount
.

Smart grid

In the first quarter, the total corporate financing of smart grids in 9 transactions reached $86 million, compared to $32 million in 16 transactions in the first quarter of 2019, a year-on-year increase of 168.
75%.

In the first quarter of 2020, venture capital for smart grid companies involved seven transactions totaling $81 million, compared to $32 million in 15 transactions in the first quarter of 2019
.

During the quarter, 22 investors participated in smart grid VC financing
.
The most VC-funded smart grid companies included: Smart Wires, which received $43 million; GridBeyond raised $14 million from Energias De Portugal, Act Venture Capital, Electricity Supply Board and Total Carbon Neutrality Ventures.
Driivz raised $11 million from Gilbarco Veeder-Root and Centrica Innovations; Leap raised $8 million from Union Square Ventures, Silicon Valley Bank, Congruent Ventures, National Grid Partners, Powerhouse Ventures, Elemental Excelerator and FJ Labs.
BluWave-ai raised $4 million
from Canadian sustainability technology companies and OCE.

Two debt financing transactions in the first quarter of 2020 raised $5 million, while one transaction in the fourth quarter of 2019 raised $
28 million.
A debt-financed transaction raised $
1 million in the first quarter of 2019 compared to the same period last year.

Five M&A transactions were announced in the first quarter of 2020 (without disclosing transaction amounts), compared to six undisclosed transactions
in the fourth quarter of 2019.
Compared to the same period last year, there were 10 M&A transactions (one transaction disclosed)
in the first quarter of 2019.

Energy efficiency

Energy efficiency companies raised $7 million in the first quarter in three transactions, compared to $345 million
in two transactions in the fourth quarter of 2019.
The two transactions raised $155 million
compared to the same period last year.

Energy Efficiency raised $7 million in venture capital through three deals in the first quarter of 2020, compared to $30 million
in one transaction in the fourth quarter of 2019.
Compared to the same period last year, $100 million was raised in a transaction in the first quarter of 2019
.

Eight investors participated in venture capital during
the quarter.

In the first quarter of 2020, there were no debt and public market financing transactions
.
In comparison, in the fourth quarter of 2019, a transaction raised $315 million
.
In the first quarter of 2019, a transaction was valued at $55 million
.

In the first quarter of 2020, there were $1.
4 billion in M&A transactions, while in the fourth quarter of 2019, there were no M&A transactions
.
In the first quarter of 2019, a $310 million M&A deal
occurred in the energy efficiency sector.